Communities with nuclear plants should be properly consulted

Thu 11 Aug, 2016

Operators of nuclear plants should be made to show their environmental impact compared to alternative forms of energy generation or energy efficiency.
Mark Ruskell MSP

Mark Ruskell MSP, Energy & Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (11 Aug) challenged Scottish Ministers to close a loophole that allows nuclear power plants to have their operating life extended without public input.

At the moment, nuclear power stations' Periodic Safety Reviews don’t require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), so the public have no say in whether stations such as Torness or Hunterston are allowed to operate beyond their previously agreed lifespan.

However, the Scottish Government has this week launched a consultation on amending the rules around EIAs, prompted by an EU directive aimed at protecting the environment.

"The public are being denied a say in decisions that have huge implications for the local environment and future generations. Communities who have nuclear power stations on their doorstep should be properly consulted. Operators of nuclear plants should be made to show their environmental impact compared to alternative forms of energy generation or energy efficiency.

"Nuclear with its toxic legacy and eyewatering costs should have no place in Scotland's future energy mix. We must close this regulatory loophole before a decision on the latest Hunterston safety review is reached in January, and similarly Torness in 2019/20. We must reassert authority over the nuclear industry and give our communities a real say."

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